Contents

 

Voices

Active voice (parasmaipada, P)

 

Middle voice (ātmanepada, Ā)

 

P is constructed as:

 

NSubj AObj PPred

(1)

 

Ā is constructed as:

 

NSubj AObj ĀPred

(2)

 

 

The original difference between P and Ā is that in P the fruit of the action is for others and in Ā for the subject.

(3)

Many only have forms in one of P or Ā.

(4)

Often there is no difference in meaning between P and Ā

(5)

 

Examples:

 

Devadattaḥ āśam pacati (P)

‘Devadatta cooks food [for others]’

Devadattaḥ āśam pacate (Ā)

‘Devadatta cooks food [for himself]’

 

Passive voice (Ps)

(Cf. also Ps corresponding to double A and Ps with Imp)

 

Ps is very common i CS; in fact so common that when translating one often can translate to active english constructions.

 

Ps is constructed as:

 

ISubj AObj PsPred

(6)

 

Devadattena āśam pacyate

‘The food is cooked by Devadatta’

 

With participles:

 

ISubj NObj NPart

(7)

 

E.g. using a PPP:

 

Devadattena āśaḥ pacitaḥ

‘The food was cooked by Devadatta’

Passive of Causative

 

NX AY Ps:C [IZ]: X is caused to do with Y [by Z]

(8)

NX IY Ps:C [IZ]: Y is caused to do with X [by Z]

(9)

 

(8) is the more common type.

 

Active:

Kumāraḥ asmān ābharaṇam paridhāpitavān. (C7)

‘The prince has made us put on ornaments.’

Passive:

Kumāreṇa vayam ābharaṇam paridhāpitā. (8)

‘The prince made us put on ornaments.’

 

Active:

Viṣakanyayā rākṣasaḥ ghātitavān tapasvinam Parvateśvaram. (C8)

‘The demon has killed the unhappy Parvateśvara by means of a viṣakanyā.’

Passive:

Viṣakanyayā rākṣasena ghātitaḥ tapasvī Parvateśvaraḥ. (9)

‘The unhappy Parvateśvara was killed by the demon by means of a viṣakanyā.’